Post by Jennie Docherty / Djinnie! on Jul 24, 2023 20:33:15 GMT
START
A red dot is in the upper righthand corner when the scenery fades in…Jennie Fenix sits on the metal railing at a local skatepark. The sound of skaters skating in the background can be heard, as well as the occasional skater performing a trick being visible every so often; however, Jennie is dressed in some casual attire with a backwards cap; she proudly displays her Interstellar Gemini title, and Celestial title, while kicking her legs a little bit and sitting on the railing.
A voice protrudes from behind the camera, “Thank you for taking the time to film this documentary with us, Ms. Docherty.”
“You can call me Jennie!” Jennie blurts out.
“Jennie.” the interviewer corrects himself, “Alright, we’ve heard a lot of what’s happening with your family and… extended… family, and there’s been some people that are trying to ask you how you can stand for them to do something like that? A lot of people are pointing fingers at your family, which– unfortunately– includes you… And the viewers are wondering, I’m wondering: does this take any sort of toll on you?”
Jennie licks her lips while bobbing her head back and forth. “It–” she holds the word on the tip of her tongue momentarily. She snorts before finally continuing, “Yes. It definitely does play a little bit in my head, ‘cause I’m having to hear from everybody… ‘How could your family do this?’ ‘How can you justify this?’ ‘Are you saying they didn’t do anything wrong?!’ And just– blah! I’m definitely receiving a bit of backlash from what ANGEL did… I’m hearing from people that are just– bad mouthing…tarnishing…my family, our name, our reputation… And–” she chuckles under her breath, “It’s just something that I can’t seem to escape, and y’know? I shouldn’t have to. I’m still going out there and handling my business, and they’re handling theirs, y’know? I can’t– I can’t tell them how to handle their business.”
“It’s no secret that you are protective over Sabin, your nephew, and he has been a focal point in some of the stuff that has happened, and so– like– do you have anything to say in regards to Sabin and threats made against him?”
“Sabin– does not need my protection. I’m going to make that crystal clear… He doesn’t. He’s capable of handling his own fights. He’s capable of handling himself inside of the ring, but all I can really say… is if people want to come throwing stones at him, I’m going to be right beside him to throw them right back.” Jennie’s statement comes out as a full declaration.
SACRIFICE
Inside the parking garage of the Wells Fargo Center, Jennie Aurora Docherty, better known as Jennie Fenix, sits cross-legged on the floor with her back against the concrete wall. She is wearing one of the zip-up hoodies with the zipper pulled all the way up, and the hood up, but her multi-colored hair protrudes from around the edges as she gently bobs her head back and forth to give herself a little thwack against the wall.
The evening had been a little less than kind to the former IWF Women’s World Champion. She had a bitter aftertaste left in her mouth after being defeated this evening– not only being defeated, but also being the one to have been pinned… all because of a mere misunderstanding between herself and the woman who was supposed to be her partner this evening, yet her opponent at Bloody Assizes. The same woman who had taken one of her coveted titles away from her, and the same woman who still walked around with the title now adorning her waist. Brooklyn Madrox.
“Jennie?” a voice creaks out from around the corner.
“Hmm?” Jennie acknowledges the person who beckoned her attention, turning her head to see Amber Vogel poking her head around the corner. Amber was a recent graduate from the Tara Fenix Training Center under Jennie’s older sister, and so the two had a handful of interactions prior to Amber getting signed to a developmental contract with IWF. She starts to push herself against the wall, using it as an anchor to be able to get to a standing position. Jennie’s tone masks the frustration she felt, and goes rather cheerful to properly greet Amber, “Oh, hey! Wassup?”
Amber takes a step out from behind the corner wearing the same hoodie as Jennie, and bites down on her lip…the nerves were starting to get the better of her since her debut had been against Jennie who had earned quite a reputation throughout the industry, and quite a reputation just in the IWF alone.
“I– I just wanted to apologize for pinning you–” Amber grits her teeth nervously, struggling to maintain eye contact.
“Huh? What? No!” Jennie chimes in, but Amber resumes.
“I just– I didn’t know that Brooklyn had hit you, and–”
Jennie reaches her arms to Amber, grabbing her by the shoulders, “N-n-n-no, honey! No! You don’t apologize for that, okay?”
“But it–”
“But nothing! You won, honey! You should be celebrating… Like… You’ve done something that only one other person in this company has been able to do. You pinned me.” Jennie forces a half-smile, “What happened out there–” Jennie shakes her head, “You were only doing your job. You were only doing what you’re supposed to do. You did great, by the way! Totally great!” Jennie’s voice comes up with a perkiness to it. She pulls Amber in and hugs her tight.
Amber takes a deep breath and fights herself from smiling, but it’s a losing battle. She can’t help but feel a little nervous in Jennie’s presence… Pursing her lips lightly together, Amber finally nods as a reassurance to herself that she merely did her job.
“How did it feel, though?!” Jennie’s voice brimmed with excitement, “Your first time fighting on the big stage, I mean!”
“It felt,” Amber mumbles a little bit, but she finally does display that smile while trembling slightly, “Exhilarating!”
“RIGHT?!” Jennie exclaims.
“Like, I– I– I didn’t know that my very first match was going to be against you of all people and Brooklyn, who is just–”Amber rolls her eyes while gushing over the fact that she had just competed against two of the top talents in IWF.
“Tell me about it as we go celebrate for you!” Jennie hooks an arm with Amber as they walk through the parking garage. Amber continues gushing as the scene ends.
TRANSITION
The red dot flashes in the upper righthand corner a second time, and the focus is a side view of Jennie as she walks briskly forward; her focus is just ahead of the steps in front of her, merely hoping not to trip over her own feet at the pace they are going.
“This question has come up several times from our viewers, and so I feel that I owe it to them to ask…” the voice trails away.
“Okay. Shoot.” Jennie answers.
“Like– okay, so just to be upfront, you’re gorgeous!”
Jennie scoffs, and rolls her eyes a little bit. It’s nothing she hasn’t heard before.
“Is there any truth to the rumors that circulated regarding you and JC Keeton, while you were currently in a relationship with Allen Chaney?”
The frustration can already be seen in Jennie’s eyes when she rolls them heavily over the accusation, “What’s everybody’s obsession with that? What’s their obsession with my sex life?”
“I–” the interviewer stutters, “I’m just asking the question, and that was a pretty heavy topic a couple months back.”
Jennie subtly nods as an answer to the interviewer’s question, and purses her lips together, “There was never anything between JC Keeton and I,” she says properly, “Me and JC were just– friends. Yeah, we had some feelings for one another, but either he was in a relationship, or I was in a relationship, and no, I have zero intentions of leaving Allen for anybody! So– to everybody watching and asking if I’m going to leave him for anyone…” Jennie comes to an abrupt stop, and the camera goes forward just an extra step before swaying back to see Jennie giving them all the finger, “Stop dreaming.”
The camera shakes a little bit as if the interviewer feared that Jennie could punch him on the spot, “Noted. Do we– do we have time for another question?”
Jennie brings her hands behind her back, rocking back and forth a little bit on her feet, “Sure, but it better not be another stupid one like that. The last thing I want is more creeps trying to slide into my DMs. AGAIN.”
“That’s fair. Alright, so another question that has come up as of late is how do you feel about Atara Raven recently signing with IWF? The two of you have a history as friends as well as rivals, and so… yeah… people are wondering how you feel about that?”
“How do I feel about Atty signing?” Jennie mocks the question, “Honey, listen– I’ve never had a problem with anybody signing up… The reason that I aspired to be such a great champion was because I wanted to bring the competition, and I wanted to defend my title against the best that the industry had to offer, and y’all can say whatever you want: Atty is some of the best competition you could find! I love that she signed up, and I’m looking forward to us getting back into the ring.”
Jennie kisses her hand and presses it against the lens.
“Can’t wait, DOVE!”
PART ONE
The former IWF Women’s World Champion lived a busy lifestyle… It was true that she was employed by the Imperial Wrestling Federation, and she had earned the right to call herself the champion, but she was also employed by a number of other promotions, and every promotion that she has competed for, she has won a title. The younger Fenix, the youngest Docherty had definitely earned her wings in the industry. It was also true that she was the manager of Clip’d Wings, a hair salon in New York City. Undoubtedly, she liked to keep herself busy. It was true that she had a permanent stay at the Blake-Docherty Estate, but Jennie had a second place that she called home… a place that she would retreat to when she needed her own time, and this was one of those times that she needed that retreat.
The city that never sleeps.
New York City.
Jennie sits on a metal chair on the balcony of her apartment that overlooks the city that was filled with artificial lights. She had the two titles on her lap; the Celestial Championship atop of the Interstellar Galactic one as she has her feet on the railing and is gently rocking the metal chair back and forth, just far enough for it to be off-balance but not far enough to topple over.
“Y’know…” Jennie whispers.
Jennie turns her head toward the camera conveniently placed at the corner of her balcony, and stops rocking herself back and forth in the chair, “I heard everything that you had to say the last time that we were getting ready to march down to that ring to fight! When I was marching in as the champion, and you were coming to…vanquish…I heard everything. And so– I just– I want to set the record straight, okay?” She turns her attention toward the two titles in her lap and falls forward; the legs of the chair fall against the balcony and Jennie stands up, taking both of the titles in her hands.
“I am– proud… I am proud of everything that I’ve accomplished in this business in the short amount of time that it took me to do it! I’m proud to call myself the Celestial Champion– I’m proud to have called myself the Classic Champion, the Television Champion, the Spirit of the Fight Champion– not so much the Queens…but that’s a– well, it’s a complicated story. I’m proud to call myself the Interstellar Galactic Champion alongside Tara! I have earned each and every single one of my titles. I… cherish… every single title that I do hold, and have held! But…” Jennie lightly snorts out, and turns on her heel; she places the titles carefully over the back of her chair, and then faces the camera again. “Winning the IWF Women’s World Championship was a milestone for me– I hold every single one of my titles with pride, and I never, Brooklyn, I never treated the title as if it were any lesser!”
Jennie licks her lips while taking a couple of steps toward the camera. She crouches slightly in front of it, and cocks her head to the side, “None of my titles came easy. None of them were handed to me, and I respect each and every person that I’ve been in the ring with, and especially each and every person that I’ve taken a title from, but there was something– just something about that title that stuck out to me! Maybe it was ‘cause it’s my first world title… maybe it’s ‘cause of how many people doubted me, ‘cause– everybody– doubted me. Nobody believed I had it in me. Nobody believed that I could stand at the top of the mountain. Nobody believed that I could be the champion!”
Snatching up the camera, Jennie spins in a one-eighty, and the camera gets a brief glimpse of the concrete jungle before she goes inside of the apartment, “Everybody said– there was no chance that I could beat Tara. Everybody said– Shelly would never lose. Everybody said– Caroline was riding an all-time high, and she would be on fire for a long time to come! I! BEAT! THEM! ALL!” The pride she felt in each of those victories was beaming in her tone.
“And then you, Brooklyn– when you… When you decided to come out of retirement to help a friend, I didn’t challenge you…or drag you out ‘cause I thought you’d be an easy win. I did everything I could to bring you out of retirement for quite the opposite! Y’see, I never liked the idea of holding a championship hostage. It’s something that I believed when I was the champion, and it’s something that I believe as the Celestial Champion. Every title I win, I want to be able to defend it, and that’s why after we finish our match, and–” Jennie grits her teeth a bit as she tries to piece the words together properly, “If I should win– I only say if ‘cause you’re a tough cookie, Brooklyn! I don’t– I won’t get ahead of myself…I’m not going to say that there’s no chance that you’re walking out of Philly with the title, so that’s why IF I walk out with the title around my waist, I’m going to be going onto a jet and I’m going to be ready to defend my other title! Wherever I am champion: I want the best competition! The greatest competition! And when I was the IWF Women’s World Champion, you presented yourself– you showed yourself– and you had an… interesting take… You don’t seem to believe I deserved to be the champion! You don’t think that I…loved…the IWF enough, and all I can say is–” Widening her eyes, and expressing a look of utter shock and disbelief, Jennie subtly shakes her head, “WHOA!”
The expression lingers for a couple of seconds, and she fumbles over a few of her own, “I-I-I just don’t– I can’t fathom that, ‘cause–” she taps her finger against her chin, “Wasn’t I here fighting for a chance to become the champion while you were sitting at home? Wasn’t I champion, while you were still sitting at home? Wasn’t I telling everyone that I wanted to bring the best competition from around the world to fight me for the title?! Wasn’t I– HERE?!” She holds her hand out in a questioning gesture.
“I mean, I’m not going to say that my sole focus was here… but my key focus was here! I wanted nothing more than to– ELEVATE the competition here! I wanted to do nothing more than to BRING the competition from around the industry– HERE. And,” she shrugs, “I guess I did just that ‘cause you came out of retirement, didn’t ya?! And after everything you’ve said to me, honey, I’m going to go ahead and say that I… have… nothing but respect for you. I have nothing but respect for everything that you accomplished in this ring, and how you elevated the title during your first run as the champion, and I believe that you could do that AGAIN.”
Raising a finger in a manner to protest, Jennie takes a momentary pause before continuing, “BUT! While I did say that I’m not going to claim that it’s not possible for you to walk out with your arm raised as the winner, I’m going to add in that I’m going to do absolutely everything I can to ensure that the opposite happens! I’m going to do everything in my power– in my ability– to ensure that I’m walking out with that title around my waist, and I’m going to be looking forward to this next bit, Brooklyn…I’m going to be looking forward to you invoking the rematch clause. I’m going to look forward to you DEMANDING a rematch for the title ‘cause– truth be told– I feel that you are the best person I’ve been in the ring with, and I want to dial it back as many times as we have to until we know for sure that one of us is better than the other! ‘Cause– you’re right, Brooklyn. You’re right! The reason that you stuck out to me… the reason that I even said you could be a tougher challenge than Shelly is ‘cause of everyone who surrounded you! COMPETITION! You had the best competition in the business at the time, and if you didn’t, there’d be nobody praising your name… You can hold the title forever, but if there’s no one challenging you for it, it’s just collecting dust. But now I gotta repeat myself: that’s why I wanted to bring the competition here. That’s why I want to defend the titles that I win!”
Jennie cocks her head slightly to the side, “I want people to sing my name. I want people to remember me– I want them to know that when I get in the ring, I’m going to give them the best possible show! I want them to know I didn’t duck a challenge! I want to be known, Brooklyn. I want my name spoken with the likes of yours– the likes of Shelly– the likes of Tara– I want… my name… spoken. I want it remembered. I want it sung.”
The feed comes to a brief end.
TRANSITION
Sunset. That red light flashes in the corner for a third time, and this time we find ourselves at the New York Harbor. Jennie sits on the edge with her legs dangling toward the water, and leaning back against her hands…the Statue of Liberty is seen in the distance. After the awkward question that began the last time the interview had aired, Jennie is rather silent… lost in the moment. She has a mild smile still on her face while enjoying the view.
“Alright, so–”
“Shh!” Jennie hushes the interviewer.
The interviewer chokes on his tongue for the briefest of moments while it seems that Jennie is just taking a moment to keep enjoying the moment that she’s in. After a couple of minutes, Jennie finally gives the “okay”.
“One thing that I’ve noticed about you is that you never say your title when referring to fighting for it back… You never say that you’re walking out with your title, or you want your title back. Is there a reason behind that?”
“I mean… ‘cause it’s not mine. It’s Brooklyn’s.” Jennie doesn’t have to say “duh”.
“But a number of people still proclaim the title as theirs before or after the fact, and it's just– I’m curious!”
“I know how everybody says that, and everybody does that, but I’m not everybody. Brooklyn beat me, and so the title is hers… Do I want the title back? Yeah. Who wouldn’t? But it’s not mine. Not right now.”
PART TWO
Back inside of the apartment, Jennie is lying down on her bed with the camera on her phone aimed directly at herself. She makes a silly face at the camera, and lying above her head are the two titles as well as Purrseus, her cat, and Pandabear, her Akita. Pandabear licks one of the titles repeatedly while holding it still, and Purrseus just purrs endlessly. There is another small sound coming from the bedroom, and as Jennie turns the camera slightly, Allen Chaney is spotted sitting up against the bed with an Xbox controller in his hand.
“Are you plugging in?” Allen asks.
“In a minute, babe…” Jennie says. Just as she seems to be taking the camera away to focus on herself, Allen notices and gives the “peace” sign at the camera before Jennie goes into another speech toward her audience.
“I’ve been counted out before… I’ve been called the underdog for the longest time, and even when I was the champion, everybody was saying I was the underdog! They’d still– vote for me– ‘cause everybody loved the underdog, but I remember hearing all the experts saying how any betting person shouldn’t bet on me ‘cause I just wasn’t as good as my competition– and I’ve proven them wrong. I proved them wrong time after time after time, and that’s all I can think about right now as we’re marching to Bloody Assizes– I’m already being counted out. I’m already being told that Brooklyn is the better fighter… I’m already being told that the only thing I have on my side is luck. But it’s still not the first time I’ve heard it, and luck has taken me this far! Luck has taken me to become one of the most decorated stars in the business… one of the most talked about stars in the business; one of the most sought after stars in the business! Luck– has taken me that far, and y’know what? I still love that people underestimate me… I still love that people count me out… I still love that nobody believes I stand a chance, ‘cause there’s something that just– happens– when I get that win. When I get to look at everybody and say, ‘Told ya so!’ There’s a high to it. And this Sunday… I’m ready to ride that high. I’m ready to take the title back. I’m ready to elevate. I’m ready to carry. I’m ready to be– better than I was…”
Jennie straightens herself up a bit, “When I lost the title, I said there were two paths that would happen– taking my LEGOs just as a prime example, they can be broken. They can be destroyed. They can look like– a pile of rubble… You can look at it, and just wonder what are you going to do with it once someone breaks it down, and there’s some people who wallow after losing the championship and claim that they were robbed. That’s one path to take! But–” Jennie smacks her lips together, “Not me. I’m not making excuses! I’m not thinking what I could’ve done differently! The only thing I’m thinking of is… rebuilding. The only thing I’m thinking of is chasing the title for a second time! That’s the path I took… and I’m going to do everything to rebuild. I’m going to do everything to walk out of Philly with the title in my hands, and that’s something Brooklyn is going to have to accept–” she shrugs.
“If it doesn’t happen… I’m just going to rebuild. You can break my LEGOs. You can’t break my spirit. Ciao, bitches!” Jennie blows another kiss to the camera.
END